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With the theme of “Macao: An Efficient Business Platform to Leverage the Advantages of Regional Co-operation”, the 13th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF) was held from 23 to 26 October at the Macao Venetian-Resort-Hotel. The dignitaries who officiated at the Opening Ceremony included: Mr. Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Chief Executive of Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr. Li Benjun, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr. Zhou Bo, Deputy Director of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr. Jiang Zengwei,Vice Minister of Commerce, Mr. Luís Amado, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Mr. Cadmiel Filiane Mutemba, Minister of Fisheries of Mozambique, Mr. Lu Shumin, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr. Ye Shuangyu, Vice Governor of the People’s Government of Fujian Province, Ms. Bu Xiaolin, Vice chairperson of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Mr. Jing Junhai, Vice Governor of the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province, Mr. Rui Hanjam, Vice Minister of Economy and Development of East Timor, Mr. Francis Tam Pak Yuen,Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr. Tang Bingquan, Vice Chairman of Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political onsultative Conference,Mr. Dong Songgen, Vice Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Mr Lee Peng Hong, President of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM). The opening ceremony attracted more than a thousand local and overseas representatives and guests from commerce and politics.
This year’s MIF improved on previous attendances – a total of 886 exhibition booths were set up, 860 purchase negotiations and business matching sessions were conducted, 35 agreements were signed involving
MOP 3.54 billion; a marked increase of 42.3% when compared to 2007. There were exhibitors from 33 countries and regions and 274 delegations from 57 countries and regions, demonstrating that MIF has advanced in terms of its scale and international scope.
The Chief Executive, Mr. Edmund Ho Han Wah, officiates over the opening ceremony of 13th MIF
Leverage the advantages of regional co-operation and connecting the world
First-time organisers and supporting organisations of this year’s MIF included the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), International Franchise Association (IFA), Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations (AFECA), International Cooperation Institute (ICOOI), Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HKVCPEA), Licencing and Franchising Association of Hong Kong (HKLFA), Taipei World Trade Centre (TWTC) and the Taiwan Coalition of Service Industries (TWCSI). In addition, local business organisations and chambers of commerce involved in the organisation of exhibition and conference activities increased by 37% compared to last year, showing a growth in the level of participation.
The exhibition itself featured a number of themed pavilions, including the Macao Pavilion, Macao Manufactures and Trades Pavilion, Macao Public Utilities Pavilion, China’s Provinces and Cities Pavilion, European Union Pavilion, Portuguese-speaking Countries Pavilion, AICEP Portugal, German Guild Hall, US Corner, Latin American Pavilion,ACIML’s Exhibition Area, Taiwan Hall and the International Trade and Investment Promotion Organisations Pavilion. In order to fully utilise the Fair to promote trade and business opportunities, this year’s MIF also included special themed pavilions such as the Shanghai World Expo 2010 Exhibition Area, Digital Imaging and Photography Equipment Pavilion, Tourism and Leisure Products Pavilion, Exhibition Services and Equipment suppliers Pavilion, Media Expo of Macao 2008 and Macao SME Exhibition.
 Macao SME Exhibition Hall |
 Macao Pavilion |
Macao is an economic co-operation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. The Portuguese-speaking Countries Pavilion, jointly organised by the Permanent Secretariat of China and
Portuguese-Speaking Countries Economic Co-operation Forum and IPIM, invited trade promotion organisations from seven Portuguesespeaking countries and the Câmara de Comércio e Indústria Brazil-China de Macau to participate. This year the Portugal Pavilion was organised by AICEP Portugal Global – Business Development Agency, with a total of 35 exhibition booths which covered consumer goods, the industrial sectors and service industry. The ACIML-International Lusophone Markets Business Association also set up the ACIML’s Exhibition Area with 11 exhibition booths, which further strengthened the role of Macao as an economic and trade co-operation service platform for China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Introducing the Franchising Pavilion and conferences to provide SMEs with sustainable development
opportunities
This year’s MIF for the first time introduced a Franchising Pavilion and related conferences,presenting franchising opportunities to existing enterprises for sustainable development or transformation and to business starters for potential business development. The Pavilion was well received by local, Mainland and overseas business and industrial sectors.Speakers at the conferences included franchising experts, entrepreneurs and academics from Brazil, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and the United States. The organiser successfully assisted 167 local and overseas enterprises to seek distributors in Macao and also arranged 212 franchising business negotiation sessions.
The new SME International Business Days were held on 24 and 25 October as one of the featured activities of the 13th MIF, of which a total of 623 local enterprises joined the business matching negotiations. Among the various contract signing projects announced, 46% are co-operation projects with local SMEs. Approximately 80 enterprises took part in the Macao SME Exhibition to promote their products and services. The new Product Presentation Area successfully attracted local enterprises to 16
product presentations, a demonstration of the stronger participation by local SMEs.
Enhancing exhibition organisation abilities and increasing the effectiveness of business matching
To further strengthen business-matching sessions in terms of size ,facilitation and to make them more international, MIF also introduced Investment Projects Matching and Delegation Matching services this year. In addition, Buyer’s Corner, Business-matching Centre and Product Presentation Centre were set up at the venue to facilitate on-site business negotiations. The Electronic Access Registration System and
on-site information search engine enabled participants to obtain instant information about exhibitors and their products. International business visitors were also able to utilise the online pre-registration service to facilitate accuracy of MIF statistical data.
The 13th MIF attracted over 54,000 visitors, which included 5,795 professionals. The four-day exhibition facilitated 860 business matching sessions with a breakdown of 375 procurement project negotiations,169 product/service supplies project negotiations, 212 franchising and chain store operation negotiations, 8 brand distribution negotiations and 96 delegation matchings, involving industries such as manufacturing,electronic technology, product agency, convention and exhibition, real
estate property, food and beverages and training. Signatories came mainly from Brazil, Mainland China, Guinea Bissau, Hong Kong, India, Japan,Macao, Mexico, Mozambique and Portugal.
 SME International Business days |
 China Provinces and Cities Pavilion |
 ACIML’s Exhibition Area |
 Guests exchanging opinions during the Macao International Convention and Exhibition CEO Forum 2008 and 2nd Forum of Exhibition Co-operation of Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao |
 Various Contracts were signed during MIF
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 Conference on “Grasping Franchising Business Opportunities” |
Forums and Conferences – updating market information and exploring economic co-operation prospects
A total of 35 sessions of forums and conferences were held during MIF with 2,546 attendees.
Major forums held included the International Trade and Investment Forum 2008 jointly organised by the Investment Promotion Agency of the State Ministry of Commerce, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Macao Chamber of Commerce and IPIM; the Macao International Convention and Exhibition CEO Forum 2008 jointly organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations (AFECA) and IPIM; the 2nd Forum of Exhibition Co-operation between Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao jointly organised by the Guangzhou Convention and Exhibition Industry Association, Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Industry Association, Macao Convention and Exhibition Association, Macao Trade and Fair Association and the Association of Advertising agents of Macao; and the Seminar on EU Market Business Opportunities and Enterprise Cooperation jointly organised by the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong an Macao,the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Enterprise Europe Network-Contact Point in Macao and IPIM.
During the SME International Business Days, a total of 30 professional seminars and service presentations were held, including a series of activities organised under the themes of Seminars on Global Business Opportunities, Special Topics on Branding, Licencing, Franchising and Financing, Themed Pavilions and Real-time Product Showcasing, New Generation Market Exploration Forums.
Promotion activities on co-operation with Portuguese-speaking countries included the Briefing on Tourism Industry Promotional Environment and Opportunities in Portuguese Speaking Countries jointly organised by the Permanent Secretariat of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Economic Co-operation Forum and IPIM; the Portuguese-speaking Countries-Fujian- Macao Economic and Trade Seminar plus Briefing on Fujian’s Industries and Products jointly organised with the Fujian Provincial Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation which were actively participated in by government officials, commercial and industrial leaders,industry merchandisers, experts and academics.
Survey reveals that MIF’s role as business service platform is widely recognised
To collect and evaluate comments and data during MIF, IPIM entrusted the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of the University of Macao to conduct a survey at the venue. With interviewees including 774 professionals, 230 business visitors and 1,281 members of the general public. The report revealed that about 60% of interviewed professional participants and exhibitors rated the overall arrangement as well as the convention and exhibition facilities as satisfactory and more than 50 % credited MIF’s contribution to product marketing,market exploration and its effectiveness and the economic benefits of promoting Macao’s role as a trade and economic service platform. Overall ,48.58% of the interviewed participants believed that this year’s MIF surpassed the previous year,42.23% said that they had also participated in last year’s MIF and 30.66% expressed that the two events were similar, while 66.04% of the general public interviewed spent money at the venue.
The success of the 13th MIF was attributed to the keen support and participation of the following commercial partners: Macao Cable TV Limited, Empresa de Desenvolvimento Predial Vitória S.A, Golden Crown Development Company Limited and San You Development Co, Ltd. With particular thanks to Bank of Communications Co, Ltd. Macao Branch,Companhia de Investimento Internacional Qian Ao Limitada, Macao Coca-Cola Beverage Co,Ltd and Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. IPIM will continue to fully utilise the advantages of Macao’s role as a trade and economic service platform and provide a variety of services,striving to line up potential partnerships and explore business opportunities for all enterprises, in particular SMEs.
